Huntsville gazette., 1887-08-06
M'GARtGLE SAFE.
How He Evaded the Officers and Effected
Landing on British SOil-The Story of
the Escape from Chicago on the
Schooner Blake.

the Escape from Chicago ON the
Schooner Blake.
PORT HURON, Mich, Aug. 2.-The follow
ing is later account of McGarigle's land
ing in Canada: 1t appears that when the
tug Orient approached the schooner Blake,
which was last in the tow of four vessels,
the schooner Marsh next ahead dropped
the tow line and the Blake dropped rapidly
astern. Her captain rushed forward, to-
yether with his crew, and raised
tremendous row for couple
of minutes, keeping the attention
of those on board the tug. Mean
while McGarigle, who had been trans
ferred to the Marsh in the straits, as re-
ported some days ago, was bundled into a
yawl and being pulled ashore. When the
officers on the tug discovered the ruse,
every effort was made to catch the yawl,
but it got into shoal water before they
could reach it. McGarigle jumped ashore
and ran rapidly up the street, while the
crews of the schooners jeered at the men
on the tug.
A reporter for Chicago paper then
went aboard the schooner Marsh, whose
captain, Freer, told the following story:
"While we were loading a cargo of cedar
in the straits, a tug came alongside and
wanted to know if had seen any thing of
the Blake. l said 1 had not, and he then
told me that they were detectives, and
that they believed that McGarigle was
aboard of the Blake. Well, live in Chi
cago, and, of course, know McGarigle by
reputation, although l had never seen him
but once. | told the men that he would
probably come along in day or two, and
then extended them the hospitality of my
vessel. The entire crew then came aboard
and went down to the cabin, and l opened
bottle of my choicest cherry brandy.
While they were drinking, slipped on
deck for minute and saw the Blake COM
ing along down the straits before fine
breeze of wind. Well, don't believe in
harboring criminals or any thing of that
kind, but on the impulse of the
| moment, | thought that there was a
fellow being, with wife and several chill
dren, who was sorry for what wrong he
had done and was trying to keep out of
the penitentiary. / hardly know what
made me do it, but | slipped back into the
cabin and, without saying any thing
about the approaching vessel, got out some
more bottles. The detectives relished the
stuff and they had a rolicking, jolly time
of it. When they came on deck | don't
believe any one of them could have
told a fishing-smack from steam
boat. But by this time the Blake was out
of sight.
"Well, l finished loading and started
down for Buffalo. About ten O'Clock Sat-
urday night l overhauled the Blake on
Like Huron and told them that officers
were laying for her. A few minutes later
the Blake headed into me and stove in the
starboard quarter of my vessel. At the
same time man jumped aboard and the
vessels drifted apart. | recognized him as
McGarigle, and, with tears streaming
down his face, he begged me to put him
ashore. l told him | would and did. l
/ never in my life saw such pathetic suf-
fering as was stamped on his face.
When your tug came alongside he was
in the cabin, shaking like a man with the
palsy. He thought the tug had been sent
out to capture him, but if it had been,
don't think he would have been taken alive.
Not that he would have made any resist
ance, but | am pretty sure he would have
jumped overheard and drowned himself
before he would have gone back to prison.
When lowered the boat and told him we
were ready he seemed paralyzed, ,and could
hardly move. l jumped down into the
cabin and helped him on deck, and steadied
him until he got into the boat"
While Captain Eteer was telling this
story the tow had rounded to. and when
this point was reached was picking up the
Blake, which had come dov. n the river
under sail. She came alongside of the
Marsh, the reporter jumped aboard of her
I'D fotv Trxr- 70 iva
count of how he came to enter into the
conspiracy to run McGarigle into Canada.
He was very reticent and at first refused
to say a word about it. After good deal
Of coaxing he said: "When 1 got to Chi
cago friend of mine came to me and
asked me if l would take passenger to
Canada, landing him at the first convenient
point. After some hesitation on my part
and much urging on his, | consented, pro-
viding that he would not tell my any thing
about the party. l suspected from the way
he talked his friend was in trouble, and
did not want to know any thing that
would get me into scrape. Well, l was
to let him know when l would be ready to
sail, and Saturday afternoon | met him in
a buggy on Fifth avenue. We drove
around, and l arranged with him to have
his friend meet me that night at the
cigar store at the corner of Rush
and Michigan streets. / also
told him when the vessel would
be ready, and said / would drop down the
river and lie at the north pier until the
party who was to be known as Williams
showed up at the appointed place.
cleared at the barge Office at eight O'Clock
and then went over to the cigar store. A
little after ten O'Clock a man, whom
recognized by the description given me,
came in. asked him if his name was
Williams. He nodded his head and we
went down to the vessel together. Then
we towed out and got along all right only
the wind has been tantalizing during al
most the entire voyage"
Captain Irwin confirmed the story OF the
master of the schooner Higgie as to meet
ing the Blake off Manistee. He would
make no definite admissions regarding the
person who arranged for McGarigle's pas
sage.
The reporter then went back to Sarnia,
and after considerable search found Nc
Garigle, who appeared terribly changed.
His features are haggard and sallow and
his eyes have haunted expression.
McGarigle says that he planned the
a-ao,o h;x~,-oIf onJ roorotc that he was